The Canary Lives
by Chels17
Summary: The real story of what happens in season 3. Sara Lance is still alive and hatched a plan with an unlikely accomplice to fake her death. This story will not change the events of the show, but rather will incorporate them in a way that just might help convince you that The Canary lives. Features: Nyssara, Olicity, a Flash crossover, and Oliver's answer for Ra's! Be excited. COMPLETE.
1. An Unexpected Dialogue

"Sara," his voice was calm and firm. "This the best chance we have."

"It's too risky. There must be a better idea you can think of."

"There isn't. This will work. Trust me."

"Ha, that's easy for you to say." She began to pace slowly as she voiced her thoughts. "You'll be behind the scenes the whole time. No one will know of your involvement and you're not the one who has to die."

"You won't have to either if we follow this plan with exact precision, and I mean _exact._"

"Is this all a ruse because you caught me surveilling you for Ra's? Why don't you just kill me now rather than go through this elaborate scheme?"

Malcolm Merlyn shook his head. "It's not like that, Sara. I don't want you dead. Your family has always been friends of mine and I'm impressed by your ability and determination to survive. I wanted you here. I came back to Starling City and made my presence known so that Ra's would send someone to watch my every move, and of course I knew it would be you. You're one of the best in the League with surveillance, and your obvious ties to the city would be enough cause for you to want to come." Merlyn smirked. "The only downside to sending you is that I find your movements to be slightly predictable since we were both trained by Al Ow-Al in the art of surveillance."

Sara's stance and expression became defensive. "You're mocking me. I don't need to hear anymore of this. And you don't know if it will work." She turned to leave and reached her hand for the door.

"Actually, I do, Sara." His voice dropped in volume. "I did it."

Sara froze mid-step and slowly turned around, processing what he said. "You did? You created it? And it works?"

Merlyn's grin widened. "Yes. It has been tested and works perfectly. It will work for you."

Sara's brow furrowed as she considered this new information while Merlyn continued. "This is the pivotal piece of the plan and of your concern, is it not? And now we have it and can proceed."

"Maybe, but it's far from my only concern. Everyone closest to me is going to be a puppet in this plan. I don't want to do that to the people I care about. They're going to get hurt in more ways than one and it will be because of me."

Malcolm shook his head, "You can see it that way if you wish, but you know this is the best plan we have. We both stand to benefit immensely from seeing Ra's al Ghul dead. It will free our lives."

"So our personal gain is sufficient cause for his death?"

Malcolm scoffed, "Has the assassin in you become soft, Ta-er al-Asfer? It seems the Arrow's morals really are starting to take root in you."

"If they are then I don't have a problem with that," she responded firmly. "I need to hold on to whatever light is still inside of me."

Merlyn took a deep breath, trying to find the right words that could persuade her. "I know you feel like you sold your soul to the Devil by joining the League, Sara, but you didn't. You certainly aren't the same girl who stepped onto that boat with playboy Oliver Queen seven years ago. Everything you've done - every lie, every murder, every deception - has been done to keep yourself and the people you love alive. That is nothing to be ashamed of."

Sara dropped her head, never fully convinced that she was a hero in any sense. "It probably would have been more noble to sacrifice my life at the hands of Ra's rather than dedicate it to him and his mob."

"You have to get that kind of thinking out of your head, Sara. This isn't a question of nobility; it's a question of survival, and you are still here to attest to that fact. Do you really think that if you had died at the hands of the League all those years ago that the heroic acts of The Canary would have been fulfilled by someone else? I've kept a close watch on events in Starling City and I know of many selfless things you have done to save your family, friends, and countless others that the Arrow would not have been able to accomplish without your help. There is a reason you've survived all this time. And if that's not enough, you know that as long as Ra's is alive your life belongs to the League. You may get the occasional assignment near Starling City and get a glimpse of your family, but you'll never be free to be with them or anyone else that you love. Ra's has his ideals of justice and he doesn't feel the need for love; he only feels the need for control. Sara Lance really will be gone for good and you will have to face being a killer for the rest of your life."

Both were silent as Sara carefully weighed Malcolm's words and the implications of this plan. "Ra's has done terrible, indescribable things in his life - many I'm sure we don't even know about, but it is because of him that we were both trained and it is because of him that I am still alive."

"The credit for your survival after the Amazo fiasco does not directly belong to Ra's. You know that."

"Nyssa," she said in a barely audible whisper.

Merlyn nodded.

"I can't do this to her."

"You won't be doing it," he responded coolly. "With all luck it will be Oliver."

"But he will try to kill Ra's al Ghul, the Head of the Demon, because of me. You'll frame the League for my murder, won't you?"

"Something like that. For now, don't worry about more than the part you need to play. I will brief you on more details once that phase is over. We need you to focus on executing your part perfectly, not only for your own life, but for the sake of your friends."

"But are my friends really going to believe that I was just killed by the League when I just rejoined it? One minute I'm talking with my sister and the next I've taken three arrows to the chest and fallen to my death with absolutely no defensive wounds? I think I should be insulted that you would have me die without putting up a fight at all. Doesn't that seem completely uncharacteristic of me?"

"It does, which is why even you will need to be surprised to make the act complete."

"That doesn't make sense. What do you mean?"

"I'm afraid that is one element I can't let you in on just yet, but suffice it to say that it is the essential piece of the puzzle that will get Oliver to challenge Ra's. Don't look so concerned, Ta-er al-Asfer, just remember to be mindful of your surroundings so that you fall just right. Maneuver your fall incorrectly and it will break your neck or back, resulting in paralysis or worse."

"I am always mindful of my surroundings, Al-Saher, and I will trust this magic act of yours."

"And don't think the significance of that trust goes unnoticed. I know your instinct has rooted out every lie you faced while working for the League, which is why you were one of our most valued interrogators."

"Yes," Sara reflected back on the many memories she had of torturing men for their secrets.

"That is a skill I learned from Ivo and perfected in the League. A skill that I hate, but it has honed my ability to perceive any deception."

Malcolm nodded. "And I have a feeling you are not done employing that skill just yet."

A brief silence passed as they were both consumed in their own thoughts.

Sara's voice was resolute when she spoke again: "Laurel."

"What about your sister?" Malcolm asked with a quizzical look.

"She has to know-"

"Absolutely not." He waved off the idea before she could finish her sentence.

"Listen to me, Al-Saher! I will not put her through this again. I was already dead to her for six years when it wasn't true. Besides, she can be of aid us. If we have someone on the other side helping to convince everyone that I'm really gone then her part to play will prove to be incalculable. You can't deny that."

Merlyn pondered this idea for a moment and an amused grin spread across his face. "You're right. She could prove to be very useful in this scheme if she can put on a good act."

"Oh, believe me," Sara laughed. "If there is anything my sister is good at, it's pretending and putting on a show. Plus, I'm going to need someone to fill my shoes while I'm gone, and I think she can do it."

"Very well. We will let her in on my terms."

"Fine. Now, tell me exactly what you envision for this plan - I need every detail you can give me."


	2. Executing the Execution

Sara watched her sister leave the rooftop and then turned to face the city - her city - thinking about the day that would hopefully come soon when she could gaze over that skyline and know that she was home for good.

She couldn't help the chills that ran down her spine when she heard her name spoken through an unfamiliar voice changer.

"Hello, Sara."

She whipped around to face her assailant and was shocked by whom she saw armed with a bow and arrow pointed at her chest.

_Thea?! She's Merlyn's secret archer?_

"What are you doing here?" It was one question of a million more that were shooting through Sara's mind all at once. Time seemed to stand still for Sara. She was completely thrown off guard and in that moment she remembered what Merlyn had told her when they first discussed their plan: "Even you will need to be surprised to make the act complete."

The first arrow found its mark.

_Well played, Merlyn. I never saw this coming._

Arrows two and three followed soon after and Sara's expression was one of horror. _How can Thea shoot with such strength and accuracy?_ The force of the arrows sent her stumbling backward and her heel slipped over the edge of the rooftop sooner than anticipated. Sara had practiced the exact footing she would use to place her body in such a way that she could control her fall, but it was all for naught as gravity took its course. All Sara could do was slightly maneuver so that her back hit the dumpster in a way that would propel her to a backflip to the ground and roll face up. Then everything went black.

* * *

Laurel approached the designated place where Sara would fall and felt goosebumps spread down her arms. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the black figure of her sister stumble over the edge of the rooftop above.

_Wait, that isn't how it was supposed to happen..._

Laurel watched, terrified, as Sara fell without any of her planned control and struck the dumpster hard and then the ground. She felt a scream rip from her chest as she ran to her sister's side.

"No, no. Sara! SARA! No! No..."

Laurel lifted Sara's body to her own and cradled her as she sobbed, assuming the worst had occurred, when she heard his voice hiss from above. "Laurel! Pull yourself together and administer the No-eh-ma. Now!"

"It's too late!" she sobs. "You _killed_ her! Look at all her blood!"

"She had to bleed, Laurel! It has to look bad. The dumpster kept her from falling directly to the asphalt."

"It wasn't enough!"

"It was. Feel for her pulse then give her the drug. Quick!"

Laurel rushed a finger to her sister's carotid artery. It's there! She's barely alive!"

Laurel pulled the small glass vial from her coat that Merlyn had given her two days ago and whispered the drug's name, "No-eh-ma," as she poured the contents through her sister's parted lips.

"Now find the rags we left there and place one under her head to slow the bleeding. Apply pressure to her chest as well. My archer is well-trained and did not deliver a fatal blow there."

"Did you have to shoot her three times?!" she spat up at him in her anger.

"It has to be convincing!"

Laurel nodded and did what she was told. When she glanced back up to where Merlyn had just stood there was nothing but darkness. She was alone now. Alone with her dying sister. She just prayed this was enough to keep her alive until Malcolm could resuscitate her in a few days. _Days..._ That seemed so far from now. And in that time she would have to convincingly put on a show to make everyone else believe Sara was dead.

The seconds felt like hours as Laurel let her mind drift back to two days prior when Sara and Malcolm Merlyn had brought her in to discuss exactly how tonight would play out...

"_Sara, I really wish you didn't have to do this. It feels so risky. Can we actually trust this plan of yours?" Laurel gazed down at her younger sister and placed her hands on her arms, trying to commit to memory exactly how she looked and felt. What if something did go wrong? She wouldn't be able to forgive herself for going along with this if it meant losing her sister forever. Again. Having Sara alive while only seeing her a few times a year would be much better than not having her at all._

"_Relax, Laurel. Anything involving the League of Assassins is risky. I've had to play dead more times than I can count in the past six years. I'll be fine."_

"_It's true," Merlyn chimed in, "and you can trust the plan." He grabbed a small vial from his coat pocket. "Here is the drug. I call it 'No-eh-ma' - it means 'sleep' in Arabic. This is the fulcrum of our delicate balancing act, Laurel. Keep it hidden and safe. Don't uncork it until you have to because as soon as it comes in contact with oxygen, the reaction will begin and we don't want that to happen until it's inside of Sara."_

_Laurel gingerly took the vial and placed it in her suit pocket and repeated it's name, "No-eh-ma... Don't worry. I understand how important it is. I'll keep it safe."_

_Sara stepped up to Laurel and threw her arms around her older sister. Laurel was pleasantly surprised; in all her life Sara almost never initiated their hugs, or any kind of physical contact except for the occasional punch to the arm. The hug lingered a few seconds longer than normal, neither of them really wanting to do what had to happen very soon._

_Sara broke the embrace and stepped back, looking her sister square in the eyes. "This will work, Laurel. Don't hesitate and don't worry about me. You know everything you need to do."_

_Laurel nodded and brushed a loose section of Sara's hair behind her ear. "I know. That doesn't mean I like it, but I understand why you're doing this. Thank you. It will mean the world to Dad and Mom and me to really have you back in our lives. So, I'll see you on that rooftop at 10:35, right?"_

"_Right," Sara replied with a smile. "See you then."_

* * *

Laurel felt for her sister's pulse again. Even though she knew it would be significantly slowed by the drug she still felt frantic as she kept her body as still as possible to wait for the one sign that Sara was more than a corpse. There it was. She waited until she felt the faint blip under her fingertip one more time about 30 seconds later.

"So slow," Laurel whispered. "But it's still here. You're still here." Laurel squeezed her sister's chilling hand. She waited several more minutes and checked the bleeding from Sara's head and chest. Both seemed stable enough to transport her sister to the foundry and await the dreaded return of the others.


	3. Deception

Laurel was exhausted and in shock as she gazed down at her sister who looked far too much like a corpse on the table in the foundry. She had carried Sara all the way here in the middle of the night and wanted to collapse now herself. Laurel had never felt so emotionally drained in her life. She dreaded what was about to happen because as soon as someone saw Sara like this, there was no turning back.

It was now three days since Sara and Merlyn first brought her into this scheme, and part of that conversation kept playing in Laurel's mind on repeat as she waited for Oliver to arrive and put the next phase in motion...

_Sara's expression was earnest as she spoke, trying to make sure her sister understood every last detail of their plan. "Laurel, you have to make sure they don't take me to the hospital. If they hook me up and start monitoring my heart rate they will see that I'm still alive and this charade will be for nothing."_

_Laurel nodded. She was still stunned at what she was agreeing to do. "Okay, no hospital. But what am I supposed to do with you?"_

_Merlyn jumped in, "You won't be able to bury her right away, Laurel, and that's important. Since Sara won't be getting the antidote immediately, if you just let the drug run its course she will be dead within 36 hours at most. To slow down the process, you'll need to slow down her body."_

"_I don't understand. What do you mean?"_

"_Convince Ollie that you don't know what to do with my body right away. You can't just leave a corpse sitting around in the foundry for days, so get him to put me in the Verdant's walk-in freezer. That will chill my body enough to slow the drug and put me in a kind of hibernative state until Merlyn can revive me."_

_Laurel looked at her sister and took one of her hands in her own. "I really don't like this, Sara. It's complicated, and there are so many things that can go wrong." Laurel felt the tears welling up in her eyes. "What would I do if I lost you again? What would I tell Mom and Dad?" She shook her head. "I can't do it, I can't do it..."_

"_Laurel," Merlyn stated. "You have to snap out of this. We will make the plan happen whether you are a part of it or not, but we will be much more likely to succeed if you can pull off your part. This is the only way to really have Sara back in your life."_

_Laurel was quiet as she tried to process everything and Sara gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She smiled at her older sister and wished they had been closer growing up. They had endured plenty of silent battles and wars of pride when they were younger, and now it just all seemed so foolish and a waste of precious time._

_Laurel wiped her eyes and her voice was resolute when she spoke: "And where should I tell Ollie to bury you?" She looked to Malcolm, "Where would it be easiest for you to get to her without being seen?"_

_Sara answered with a faraway look, "In my grave. The one that has been empty all these years. And you know, it's funny - ironic, I guess - but I remember kneeling at my grave months ago when I had decided to take that snake venom, and I was sure I was going to be right there, six feet under, by the end of the week."_

"_When Nyssa came back? When she took Mom?"_

_Sara nodded. "Yeah. It was the only way I could think of to get Mom free and keep me from having to return to the League and my life as a killer. Now I'm planning on being in that grave yet again for the same reason." Sara paused and then chuckled, trying to bring some levity to the conversation. "And just put me in a simple wooden coffin, okay? Nothing airtight."_

_Laurel smiled and put her hands on her sister's shoulders and turned her so they were eye to eye. "We're going to get you out of there, Sara. You aren't going to stay in that grave. Right, Merlyn? Because if she does, so help me, I will-"_

"_As touching as your threats are, Laurel, they are unfounded. Oliver and company will undoubtedly try to find Sara's killer, and while they may find clues, they'll never discover the truth unless I reveal it. Go along with any lead Team Arrow thinks they have and play the rage-induced, revenge-bent sister. You do your part and I'll do mine. You don't have to worry about your sister."_

* * *

Finally, Laurel heard footsteps coming down the stairs. It was Oliver, Felicity, and Roy in the middle of a conversation which ended abruptly when they recognized the body on the table.

Oliver spoke first: "Sara?"

Laurel glanced from face to face. She hated what she was putting them through right now. "I didn't know where else to take her."

Felicity's face blanched. "Oh my god..."

"What happened?" Roy asked.

"I couldn't - I couldn't leave her."

Oliver was stunned as he approached Sara's body, wondering who could have put those arrows in her with such power and precision.

Felicity spoke up. "We have to call... We could take her to the hospital!"

"Ollie, it's not fair," Laurel whimpered. The tears fell easily. "We just got her back. It's not fair!" Laurel hated how real this all felt. The worst part was watching Oliver slowly close Sara's eyes. This didn't feel like acting anymore.

Oliver pulled her into a hug and the only words he could think to say were, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," over and over again.

* * *

Laurel had never felt so anxious in her life as she felt now waiting for Malcolm Merlyn to show up at Sara's grave to exhume her body. _Where could he be? He was supposed to be here two minutes ago and he is never late._

Laurel turned as she heard someone approaching and was incredibly surprised to find it wasn't Merlyn.

"Nyssa."

The daughter of Ra's al Ghul had clearly just discovered what had become of her beloved. There was so much pain and sadness in her eyes. She knelt before Sara's gravestone and uttered an oath of vengeance in Arabic that Laurel did not understand. Nyssa stood and turned to face her lover's sister, wishing that she could have had this moment alone, but she tried to be sensitive to Laurel as well - for Sara's sake.

"You have my condolences. And that of my father, Ra's al Ghul."

"I don't want your condolences," Laurel spat, "and I definitely don't want your father's."

Nyssa started to leave, but Laurel continued, "She died with arrows in her chest. Do you think that would have happened if she hadn't met you? You were the one that showed her the darkness inside. You and your father."

Nyssa felt a fire rising within her. "I know you grieve. But so do I. I didn't show Sara the darkness, Laurel. It was already inside of her when we met. When I found her alone, starving, and terrified, I protected her. I took Sara into my heart and I loved her with all of my soul." Nyssa paused, trying to control her emotions. "That jacket... I gave it to Sara as a gift. You are not fit to wear it."

Laurel watched Nyssa walk away and wondered if they would ever have a civil conversation.

"Well, that didn't seem to go too well, did it?"

Laurel whipped around toward the sound of his voice and saw Malcolm Merlyn emerging from the shadows.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough. I arrived on time but I saw Nyssa approaching as well so I hid myself to avoid an... unfriendly confrontation."

"I don't blame you. I didn't want to talk to her either. Now let's do this - we can't afford any more confrontations with anyone here."

Merlyn nodded and set to work. Within 15 minutes he had carefully disinterred Sara's coffin and pried off the lid.

Laurel gasped when she saw her sister. "She's so pale." She lightly touched her face. "And so cold."

Merlyn's voice was a pained whisper. "Oh no."

Laurel immediately felt frantic. "What do you mean, 'Oh no'? What the hell do you mean?!"

Merlyn moved silently as he lifted Sara's head and poured a clear liquid down her throat. Both were silent as they waited, but after a minute Laurel couldn't take it any longer. "What's going on? How long is this supposed to take?"

"That's just it, Laurel. It should have worked by now. I think we're too late."

Laurel was scared, shocked, and seething mad. "What do you mean?!" she demanded again. "We're too late, or your precious little antidote doesn't work? Or let me guess - you actually wanted Sara dead, didn't you? That way your plan could go on without a snag, because there would be no living Sara for someone to find. You son of a bitch, I'm going to kill you!"

Laurel swung at Merlyn but he deftly dodged out of the way. "Laurel, don't do this..." he tried to reason with her as she swung again, but he might as well have been speaking to a brick wall. "You're upset and irrational and you're going to end up falling into this grave yourself."

Laurel let herself collapse to the ground as she began sobbing and throwing a string of profanities at the man she now officially hated more than any other living creature.

"I'm sorry, Laurel. I'm truly sorry. But we both need to leave before someone sees us. Go home, clean up, get some rest. We can talk more later. I'll put her back and make the site look untouched as quick as I can."

"You're unbelievable, Merlyn, and I will hate myself forever for actually believing you. We will not be talking more later. If I have any say in this, the next time I'll be talking to you will be when you are behind bars, or better yet, in a grave of your own." Laurel stormed off without a glance back.

Merlyn swiftly set to work to rebury the coffin. When he finished he looked at Sara, who now laid next to her covered grave, and he was surprised to feel the smallest tinge of guilt for what he had just put Laurel through - although to him it was completely necessary for the plan. He pulled a small vial from his coat and poured the contents of a second serum into Sara's mouth and only needed to wait five seconds before her eyes fluttered open and her oxygen-deprived lungs gasped for air.

Sara slowly sat upright and put her head in her hands. "I feel terrible." Her eyes quickly went wide as reality caught up with her. "Did everything work? Did they believe it?"

Merlyn just smiled in response. "Welcome back from the dead, Ta-er al-Asfer."


	4. Truths Revealed

Malcolm Merlyn waited for Sara to stabilize her breathing and regain her bearings. After a couple minutes he spoke up again. "How do you feel, Sara?"

"Where is Laurel? I thought she would be here when I woke up."

"She's busy right now. Don't worry about her. She's fine and played her part perfectly. No one suspects anything even remotely close to the truth. They are working hard to avenge your death as we speak. Especially Nyssa."

Sara groaned in response. "I can't imagine what they are going through. I'll be glad when this is all over."

"As will I," Merlyn agreed. "But truthfully, Sara, how do you feel?"

"You're acting strangely protective, Merlyn," she pointed out. "But to be honest, I really don't feel well at all. There is still this horrible pain where the arrows struck me." A memory from that night on the rooftop suddenly came back to Sara. "And you had Thea shoot me! When did she learn to fight? Why of all people would you use her? Are you so sure that she'll be able to keep such a big secret?"

Sara suddenly doubled over from the intense pain coursing through her body.

"Whoa, there, Sara. You're working yourself up too much. I'll answer all of your questions in due time. Right now the only thing that matters is keeping you alive."

"What do you mean? Isn't that what your antidote was supposed to do?"

Merlyn shook his head. "The antidote did its job, which was to revive you from the effects of the No-eh-ma slowing your body nearly to a complete stop. The antidote was not created to heal your body however, and I'm afraid Thea's arrows weren't as cleanly shot as I would have hoped."

"Okay, you've got to give me more than that, Merlyn. What's wrong with me?" Sara was getting noticeably weaker with each passing minute.

"There's no time to give you details, but when Felicity examined your body internally for any clues that could point them to your killer, it revealed that you have damage to several vital organs, besides all the blood you lost. Now that your body is running at its normal speed that damage is taking its toll."

Sara just stared at him blankly and her voice was tinged with fear. "So what are you saying, Malcolm? I'm going to die here?"

"Not if we can help it, Sara. Now take this sedative to numb the pain and come with me. There is only one thing that can save you now and I have a helicopter waiting to take you there."

"Take me where? And who is this 'we'? Is there someone else in on our plan?"

Merlyn didn't respond as he brought the new drug to her lips. Sara took it and immediately felt herself starting to lose consciousness, which she wasn't anticipating. This was definitely stronger than just a sedative. The last thing she thought before passing out was how much she despised Malcolm Merlyn for all his secrets.

* * *

..._Days later..._

The first thought Sara Lance had as she was slowly returning to consciousness was, _I must be dreaming... or dead..._ She kept her eyes closed as she took a mental inventory of her condition. Her head wasn't throbbing anymore and her chest and abdomen felt good and whole. Every part of her body actually felt amazing. She still refused to open her eyes - truthfully because she was a bit afraid of what she would see when she opened them. _I don't think I've earned a place in heaven, but this feels way too good to be hell._ She suddenly became aware that she was lying on a bed she knew all too well. She bolted upright, eyes wide open, and whispered, "Nyssa."

Sara was startled when a voice responded that was not Nyssa's, but that of her father, Ra's al Ghul. "Welcome home, Ta-er al-Asfer."

To say that Sara was stunned would be a gross understatement. She was alive, felt better than she could _ever_ remember feeling before, was back in Nanda Parbat in the bed she and Nyssa had shared for years, and to top it all off, Ra's al Ghul was welcoming her _home_, as though he was genuinely happy to see her.

Ra's sat comfortably in a chair several feet away and smirked at her expression. "You must have a lot of questions."

"Yeah, you could definitely say that. Why am I here?"

"You are here because this is the only place where your life could be saved. You were on the verge of death, you know."

"I do know that. So how did you save me? And how do I feel so... I don't know what it is. I feel whole."

"Your body is actually about as close to perfection as it could possibly ever be." Sara looked at him expectantly, showing that that was not enough of an answer. Ra's took a deep breath and continued. "You are alive and well, Ta-er al-Asfer, for the same reason that I am. I have in my possession a Lazarus Pit, something most people have never heard of, and those who have believe it to merely be mythical. I stumbled upon the first of what I now call Lazarus Pits in my efforts to cure a prince under my care who was also at death's door. These pits are, in essence, chemical pools that occur naturally and possess restorative properties. These pits heal injuries and will even grant immortality."

"So these Lazarus Pits are the reason why you have lived for so long? And why you don't have a single scar on your body?"

"Yes. I have been using them for centuries and have seen a whole spectrum of consequences that have come from using their restorative powers on others."

Sara's mind was racing. With every answer she received, ten more questions sprung up in its place. "So why did you save _me_?"

Ra's just smiled. He knew the weight that question held and the levels of meaning behind it. "Sara, I know you think I disapprove of you, but I assure you that's not the case. Not anymore, at least."

Again her mind was reeling, but all she could say was, "You have never called me by my name since I swore my allegiance to the League."

"And I did it for good reason. It is the reason you are alive to be having this conversation and learning my best-kept secret. I know that I am despised by many because I abide solely by my own code of ethics, but I believe that I am a man of integrity because I do not deviate from that code. Above all, Sara, I value honor, courage, and sacrifice, and these traits run very strong in your veins. Through your actions in the past year I have come to know who Sara Lance really is, and I know of countless times you have selflessly risked everything to save those you love most. And what has impressed me perhaps most of all is that you have allowed yourself to feel the moral gravity of being an assassin instead of desensitizing yourself to the effects of this kind of life. Although over time that could make you a less effective killer, it keeps you grounded in your humanity, which is something Nyssa has always lacked but started to reclaim since you came into her life."

Sara was speechless. She had no idea Ra's was keeping such close tabs on her. And for what purpose? "Thank you, but I don't feel that I deserve such high esteem from anyone, especially from you."

He grinned, "And I think that is precisely why you have it." His expression then because more serious. "And I see why my daughter loves you. It wasn't something I wanted to see before, so I never fully considered you to be one of us, although you performed great deeds on our behalf. It is because of my love for my daughter - who is truly the only person I now care for - that my vision was clouded. Though I did not stop you two from being together, I know it was not easy for either of you. In my mind, Nyssa's love for you was too strong. She even put you ahead of the League by chasing after you to bring you back when you left to watch over your family. To me, that love impaired Nyssa's judgment and hindered her potential to one day take my place. Ultimately, though, I was allowing my past experiences with the dangers of falling in love dictate my daughter's future, and I see now that I was wrong."

They both were silent for a time, processing all that had been revealed.

Finally Sara spoke up. "So all of this was your doing? Malcolm Merlyn's plan to have me fake my death was actually your plan?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

"Then Merlyn was your puppet and I'm sure he told you everything. Why would you still save me when you obviously know I went along with the plan because I thought you would die?"

"I also know that you didn't want to kill me. I believe your response to Al-Saher telling you his plan was, 'So our personal gain is sufficient cause for his death?' You were also concerned about the people you loved being used in this plan and getting hurt for thinking, yet again, that you were dead when that was not the truth."

Sara was stunned. "So Al-Saher really did all of this for you?"

Ra's al Ghul nodded in response. "Yes. We finally captured him not long ago and made this bargain for him to keep his life. He was already perfectly positioned in each of your lives to make his part in your death believable. But his debt is not paid off yet in full; when he returns he will continue his penance. And I think you will be glad to know that Al-Saher used Thea Queen merely as a pawn in this plan to pull off his part."

Sara expression turned dark. "I know he somehow twisted her mind to the point that she would actually try to kill me."

Ra's shook his head. "No, Ta-er al-Asfer. Young Thea Queen did not know what she was doing. Malcolm Merlyn gave her a drug that made her highly susceptible to any suggestion, and that's why she was on that rooftop. In fact, she still does not know the truth and may not know for a long time, if ever. That is not my secret to tell and it actually was not one of my making; I only gave Merlyn his task and a way to accomplish it, but some of the finer details were left to him to carry out as he saw fit since he knows you all better than I."

Sara was amazed by all the levels of deception employed to bring about this plan. What did Ra's really want from all of them? "So what happens now?"

"Now you must endure what I'm sure will be the longest phase of the plan for you, Ta-er al-Asfer, because you will need to be patient and wait. For the most part, events so far have fallen into place as I had hoped, but it is not yet time for the Canary to fly again."

"And how long do I have to hide here? How long will the people I love have to needlessly mourn my death?"

"To be honest, I am not yet sure. Weeks, if not months. You have passed your test, Sara, but there are other people I am watching with an equally close eye to determine what crucial steps I will need to take in the near future."

Sara did not know exactly to whom or what he was referring, and she wondered what other intricacies he had planned. But Ra's al Ghul had already revealed plenty of unimaginable things to her, so she knew he would unveil more when the time was right.

Ra's spoke again, "But take advantage of this time you have, Ta-er al-Asfer. Continue to recover and adjust to your increased strength and heightened senses. Train and prepare for whatever path lies ahead, because you know you will need to choose one soon."


	5. Three Tests

_...Five months later..._

Nyssa's meditation was interrupted when she heard Thea approach. "I'm in no mood for conversation."

"You'll wanna hear this," Thea replied flatly as she began to circle Nyssa's cage. "There's something that I need to tell you. I can't live without you knowing - the guilt is far worse than anything you could do to me. I lied to you," she let out a heavy sigh, "and you believed it when I told you that Malcolm killed Sara." Nyssa spun her head around to look directly at Thea as she spoke. "He wanted her dead. He put certain things in motion. But I am the one who fired those arrows into her chest. And when I made the deal to give up Malcolm, I promised you your vengeance." Thea entered the code on the door, opened it, and held out a sword to Nyssa. "So take it."

For several moments they just looked each other in the eye and the tension between them was palpable. Nyssa gazed down at the hilt of the sword that was held out to her and then back up at Thea. She spoke through gritted teeth. "Why would you kill Sara?"

"Malcolm apparently gave me a drug that made me highly susceptible to suggestion and had me kill her. The worst part is that I don't even remember it." She dropped her head in shame. "I am drowning in this guilt and I can't even have the closure of remembering what happened that night. But now that I know, I can't stand to be near anyone who loved Sara without them knowing too. So please, take your revenge. Put me out of my misery."

Nyssa closed her eyes and let out a long breath, effectively letting go of her fury as well. "Were I one to make decisions as hastily as you do, Thea Queen, you would have drawn your last breath sixty seconds ago. And I would have been more inclined to take your life if you weren't so willing to give it up."

Thea was surprised. "You aren't going to kill me?"

"No, Thea." Nyssa took the sword and returned it to its sheath. "You will not die by my hand, and I don't believe you are destined to die for this act you unknowingly committed. You aren't the first person Malcolm Merlyn has manipulated to fulfill his own purposes." Nyssa paused until Thea met her gaze. "You have the potential to be truly great, you know. You need to learn to harness your emotions and choose more carefully those you will associate with. Learn this and you will prove to be a great asset to your brother and everyone else that you hold dear."

A silence rested between them for a minute as Thea was deep in thought. "If you aren't going to kill me, Nyssa, will you be my mentor?"

"What?" Nyssa wasn't seeing any logical connection between those two concepts.

"Be my mentor. Help me learn how to have your kind of strength and control. I haven't responded particularly well to Malcolm or my brother, but you are different. I think I would have a better chance of reaching my potential with you training me."

Nyssa was stunned by Thea's request. "I - I don't know what to tell you, Thea. Surely you must know that I can't stay here in Starling City to train you."

"I know, but I could go back with you to the League."

Nyssa shook her head. "I don't think you want that life, Thea. But regardless, I can't give you that answer right now because, to be honest, I'm not sure of what my own fate is, especially in terms of the League. I must go to Nanda Parbat as soon as possible to speak with my father."

Thea didn't know what she meant by that but she nodded. "Then go."

Nyssa tilted her head, again surprised by the younger Queen. "Don't you think your friends will be furious if you let me leave?"

"Probably, but I don't care. You let me live so I'm letting you go free."

Nyssa grinned as she started to leave, but paused and turned back.

"What is it?" Thea asked.

Nyssa placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Thank you for letting me go. And Thea," she took a deep breath. "I forgive you."

"What?" That was the last thing Thea expected to hear when she planned to let Nyssa kill her tonight.

"I forgive you. I'm not even sure why." Nyssa let out a surprised laugh. "I don't remember the last time I forgave anyone of anything. But I know in my heart that it was never your intention to kill Sara. You are not the one responsible, but you still bear the guilt of knowing what happened, and I want you to be relieved of that burden, so I forgive you."

"Nyssa, I don't know what to say. I can't even tell you how much that means to me. Thank you."

Nyssa smiled. "Goodbye for now, Thea Queen. I'm sure I will see you again soon."

* * *

_...Nanda Parbat_...

Ra's al Ghul was surprised at how he was feeling right now. He, the Head of the Demon, actually felt nervous. Oliver Queen and John Diggle had spent the past few hours chained up after a failed rescue attempt for Malcolm Merlyn and Mr. Queen was now being brought to face him. Ra's smirked to himself as he imagined that Oliver was probably thinking at that very moment that he was about to be killed, possibly tortured. That couldn't be further from the truth. Instead, Oliver Queen was about to be given the offer a lifetime - of multiple lifetimes, really.

Just then Oliver was brought in and thrown before him.

Ra's spoke, "You tasted death and you wanted more. But the truth is everyone and everything must come to an end, even for one such as me." Ra's unsheathed his sword and touched the tip of the blade to Oliver's neck.

Oliver didn't flinch, and instead stated coolly, "Kill me, but spare John Diggle's life. Let him go. I will beg for it."

Ra's paused for a moment, considering his words. "You have shown tremendous strength, fortitude, power." He withdrew his sword. "No, Mr. Queen, I don't want to kill you. I want you to take my place; I want you to become the next Ra's al Ghul."

Oliver just stared up at him, eyes wide, in complete disbelief.

"What?" His response was barely a whisper.

"Oliver, I have been alive for centuries, and quite frankly, I'm tired. I need a worthy successor to take my place as Head of the Demon."

Oliver let out half a laugh in disbelief. "You, Ra's al Ghul, are tired? And wait, did you just say 'centuries'? What exactly do you mean? That's an exaggeration, right?"

Now Ra's laughed. "No, Mr. Queen, I meant that quite literally."

"How?"

"I will show you soon enough. I have been hoping to have this moment with you for a long time. When you first challenged me months ago to protect your sister I was very impressed."

Oliver was stunned. "You knew? You knew I lied about being Sara's murderer and that it was Thea?"

"Yes, I did know that. Then after giving you a near fatal blow that would have sent a lesser man to his death, you returned and donned the green hood again."

"So since you wanted to speak with me again, did you plan on me coming here for Malcolm Merlyn?"

"The fact that you were trapped once you reached Merlyn should answer that question, Mr. Queen."

"Well, your guards certainly didn't care if they killed us or not along the way."

"No, they didn't. In fact, they know nothing of my plan to offer you my title. Only my most trusted men knew, one of them being Sarab here. But I have to say, your sister contacting Nyssa and serving up Malcolm Merlyn to the League was a fascinating twist I had not expected. I was already planning to take Al-Saher so that he could continue his penance, and he knew it was coming as well, but Thea turning him in herself truly made things more personal and gave you greater incentive to come and try to rescue him on behalf of your sister."

Oliver hated feeling like a puppet in his scheme. "You talk about this as though it's all part of some test. Did you orchestrate all of this to get me to come here so you could offer me your place?"

Ra's thought for a moment. "Yes and no. You were only one piece in a much larger plan, Mr. Queen."

"Well," Oliver looked around the room, "it looks like I don't have anywhere else I need to be right now, so please, enlighten me on this plan of yours."

"To do that I need to broaden your perspective. You see, your part was just one in a threefold plan that has been coming along for months. And each of those three parts was a test."

"So if each of those three parts was a different test, were they each aimed at three different people, and I was just one of them?"

"Yes, Mr. Queen. I'm glad to see you're keeping up. As for the other two tests, one was prepared for Sara Lance, and the other for my daughter."

Hearing Sara's name still brought Oliver grief and he hung his head. "And Sara didn't pass her test? That's why she's dead?"

"Ah, to the contrary. Sara Lance passed her test remarkably well, and she is very much still alive."

Oliver felt like he had just taken a kick to the groin. "What?!" he roared and jumped to his feet to look Ra's in the eye. "What do you mean Sara Lance is alive? You've kept her from us and made us think she's been dead all this time? For _five months_?"

"If I'm correct, Mr. Queen, the last time you thought she was dead it lasted for four years. This seems far better in comparison."

"Screw you!" Oliver spat. "You had no right to do that to any of us, especially her family!"

"Oliver, you have to keep control of your emotions. True power lies in one's ability to control their actions and reactions, no matter the circumstance."

Oliver just shook his head in disbelief. "Well, I'm sure you can imagine that I would react a bit strongly to hearing that kind of news. Where is Sara? I need to see her."

"No, not just yet. I apologize. She is close but unavailable to see you right now. Be patient a little longer. You will see her soon and all truth will come to light."

Oliver let out a heavy sigh. "I can't believe this. And you said the final test was for Nyssa?"

Ra's nodded. "It is. She has not yet completed that test, but I anticipate her arrival very shortly to commence the last phase. But that is not any of your concern right now, Mr. Queen. What I need from you is your answer. Will you accept my offer and take my place as Head of the Demon?"

Oliver was still stunned at what Ra's was willing to give him. "I - I don't know. I have to think about this. I need more time before I can give you an answer."

"That is fine. I expected as much. You are free to go home but you will be required to return to Nanda Parbat in one week's time, at which point you will give me your answer."

"One week? That's all the time I have to make a choice that will not only drastically affect the rest of my life, but everyone I work with and care about?"

"Mr. Queen, often there are life-changing decisions which must be made in a single instant without advance notice. In those moments one does not have the luxury of weighing options for days, but must look to the root of their soul, beliefs, and purpose to know what to decide and then act accordingly. What would you do if you were walking along and saw child unknowingly run in front of a car?"

"I would dive out and try to save them," Oliver stated without hesitation. "But that is a completely different situation."

"But my point is the same. Now, why would you try to save that child?"

"Because it was a person in danger that I might be able to save."

"And this is a characteristic you already know about yourself, correct? Without regard to your own life, you will try to save another?"

"Right..." Oliver felt a little uneasy at how Ra's was prying into his psyche, especially when he couldn't exactly pinpoint where he was going with it.

"And you are able to make that kind of split-second judgment because you already know that is one of your core values. In choosing whether to accept my offer or not, you simply need to know what your values and goals already are, not construct new ones. Ask yourself, 'Who is Oliver Queen? Will her forever be a masked vigilante fighting crime under the cover of night within the boundaries of a city, or is he the next Ra's al Ghul?' I'm going to be quite honest with you - Oliver Queen is a man destined to be alone. Your city will turn on you, your closest allies will call you a criminal. You will be scorned, and hunted, and then killed. But I can give you a whole world to save. There is more than one path to justice."

Oliver didn't know what to say. He just stood there, trying to process everything that had been revealed in such a short amount of time.

Ra's spoke, "Again, this is not an answer you need to give me immediately. Go with Sarab; he will take you and Mr. Diggle to your rooms for the night, and then you will return to Starling City in the morning. I will see you again in one week."

Oliver could think of nothing more to say, so he bowed his head to Ra's and allowed himself to be led by Maseo back to the chamber where Dig was locked up.

* * *

_...Two hours later..._

The sound of briskly moving boots echoed down the hallway and Ra's braced himself for the inevitable storm that was heading his way. Moments later Nyssa entered the room.

"Father, is Oliver Queen dead?" Nyssa was never one to beat around the bush.

"No, he is not."

"And why not? He has lied to you, defied you by harboring fugitives from the League, challenged you and lived, and he undoubtedly arrived here before I did and attempted to retrieve Al-Saher. So I ask you again, why is he not dead?"

Ra's paused, trying to determine the right words to use. "Nyssa, please, sit down and we will talk."

"I am in no mood to sit down. This is unbelievable. You did it, didn't you? Al-Saher was right. You have given _my_ birthright - the League - to _him?_ Haven't you?"

"Yes, I offered Oliver Queen the chance to be my successor as the next Ra's al Ghul."

Nyssa was infuriated. "How could you? After all these years of training and grooming me to take your place, then you find some hotshot, show-off, playboy vigilante and without a second thought you offer him all I have wanted, all I have deserved, all I was _promised._"

Ra's sighed. "It certainly was not done without a second thought. This matter has weighed heavily upon my mind for many months."

Nyssa's expression of fury lessened and was replaced with one of pain and betrayal. "What did I do wrong, Father? I have worked tirelessly to do all you have asked of me so I could become the rightful Heir to the Demon." A sudden look of understanding came over her face. "No, I do know the answer. I suppose Al-Saher was right about that as well, which is ironic when I have never trusted him but always trusted you."

It pained Ra's to hear his daughter speak to him this way. "What did Al-Saher tell you?"

"Last night as we were taking him to the helicopter he told me, 'Your father doesn't care about Sara's death, just as you know in your heart that your relationship with Sara has cost you any chance of taking your father's place.'" She lifted her head to look her father in the eye and her lips quivered as she spoke. "That's the real reason, isn't it? You didn't stop Sara and me from following our hearts, but you never approved of our love. This has everything to do with Ta-er al-Asfer, doesn't it?"

"Yes and no. It is because of Ta-er al-Asfer, but not because she was a woman."

Nyssa arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Ra's took a deep breath. This was something he had never discussed with his daughter. "This has nothing to do with the gender of your lover; it is because I saw the same danger in your love as I have once experienced."

She scoffed. "What danger?"

"True love."

The anger dropped from Nyssa's face - instead she was completely taken by surprise. "Of course it was true love I felt for Sara. That must have been obvious, especially because she is the only person I have loved. No one else I have met has come anywhere close to making me feel how I did in just my first days of meeting her. And I'm not ashamed to admit that to you, whatever the cost."

Nyssa was surprised even more to see her father give a sad smile in response.

"I know, my dear. I know you loved her deeply. I remember telling you that I knew Sara would leave you one way or another, and I didn't want you to get distracted or hurt when that day came. I didn't approve of a love that I knew would end only in heartbreak." Ra's took a deep breath and continued, "I don't know if you remember me telling you of when I was the most in love - before I ever became Ra's al Ghul."

"Of course I remember. I was young when you told me and it was the only time you ever spoke to me like that about love. Her name was Sora."

Ra's nodded. "She was all I cared about, but she was murdered - by someone whose life I had saved - and it ripped my world apart. I was furious, hurt, and lost. I only found purpose again when I killed her murderer and razed his treacherous city to the ground. That day I realized I could make the world a better place by eliminating those who sought to harm it. That was when I became Ra's al Ghul, many centuries ago." Ra's paused for a moment and then continued. "I was surprised to see that even when Sara did leave you after Al-Saher's Undertaking, that was not enough to keep you away, even though she left you without explanation."

Nyssa felt defensive. "Our bond was too deep for her to leave me without a word and intend to stay away forever. She wouldn't have truly left me without telling me why so I knew she was scared. I had to see her again and somehow convince her to come back to me."

"Yes, I know. Even though Sara left, you still went after her, abandoning your duties as Heir and instead pursuing your heart. To me, that was not acceptable for two reasons. First, you prioritized her above the League, and second, it meant you really had fallen for Sara as evidenced by the great lengths you went to to get her back and ignoring the only thing that had ever mattered to you before - the League and one day becoming its leader."

"So that is enough of a reason for you to dishonor and disown me?"

"I have not given this offer to Oliver Queen to disown you; it is because I care for you and want you to have a better life."

Nyssa just laughed. "I don't believe you. What better life? This is the only life and have known and wanted."

"Nyssa, seeing the love you felt for Sara changed my mind. Before, what I wanted most for you was for you to train and take my place as Head of the Demon, but I now realize that what I want more than that is for you to be able to love deeply without having your actions dictated by the League for the rest of your life. I will tell you that if I am truly honest with myself, I know that now looking back I would rather have had one lifetime with my beloved than spend centuries as Ra's al Ghul."

Nyssa was stunned to hear that. "Sara always said love was the most powerful emotion and that made it the most dangerous."

Ra's nodded. "That I agree with, but it is also the most fulfilling. Now that I have seen what it's like for my daughter to be in love, I want you to have that kind of opportunity and not pass it up. Now that you are not the Heir to the Demon, I know it will be hard for you. You will need to find yourself again - find who you truly are. If Oliver Queen accepts my offer, all oaths to the League must be renewed or are allowed to dissolve. You could choose to start a completely new life, and find new purpose and meaning."

Nyssa just shook her head. "Everything you are saying right now sounds completely foreign to me. Neither you nor I being the Head of the Demon, me not being part of the League, and instead living a normal life? That isn't who I am. Surely you must see that. I wouldn't know the first thing to do with myself. It wouldn't be living."

"My daughter, I know at first it would be a difficult path for you to choose, but I want you to find your humanity again, like when you were a young girl. You were so happy and full of light. You knew nothing of killing nor of your father's secret life."

"But that kind of life would hold no purpose for me now," she countered. "Now that I have fought to seek justice all over the world, I can't live a simple, normal life. That option was lost as soon as I swore my allegiance to the League."

"But answer me truthfully, Nyssa. When Sara came into your life, was there ever a moment you wished you could have led a normal life with her?"

Nyssa dropped her head and used all her willpower to fight back a tear that was threatening to escape. "Yes," she whispered. "But I am ashamed for desiring that. I know that I want to be part of the League - I want to be your successor!"

Ra's gave a pained smile and put his hand on her shoulder. "My daughter, it is because I love you that I am offering my position to Oliver Queen. I want you to be happy and find your humanity again," he repeated.

"But Father, a normal life is not what I want without Sara. I had thought I would keep her forever. Now my life has no purpose or meaning except for the League. Don't you see that? Stripping me of my rightful title as Heir to the Demon leaves me with nothing to live for. Absolutely nothing."

"And that, my daughter, is why I have a gift for you - a reason to live."

Nyssa's head was still lowered so she didn't see her walk in. "There is nothing you could possibly give me that would ease my grief and pain."

Sara walked out and smiled when she saw the woman she loved and had missed for so long.

"Nyssa."

* * *

_Author's note: Sora is an actual character in the graphic novel "Batman: Birth of the Demon", which gives the origin story of Ra's al Ghul._


	6. The Canary Returns

Nyssa's stomach flipped at the sound of her name. _Impossible._ Her head snapped up and a look of sheer disbelief spread across her face. "Sara?" she whispered. Nyssa was rooted where she stood so Sara slowly walked to her.

Ra's smiled and left the room.

Sara stopped when their faces were only inches apart. Nyssa's mouth was still slightly agape in shock. She pulled off her gloves and raised her hands to rest on either side of Sara's face. "Sara. My Sara." A tear streamed down Nyssa's cheek. "You are alive. But how?"

"Oh, Nyssa." Sara pulled her into a tight embrace. "It's such a long story, and one that I will tell you, but not right now. I'm just so happy to see you."

Nyssa laughed. "As am I! Now, let me look at you." She cradled Sara's face in her hands and looked at her intently.

After a minute Sara placed her hands over Nyssa's to bring her out of her reverie. "Hey, talk to me. What are you thinking?"

Nyssa gave a strained smile and let the tears fall freely down her face. "I am studying the features of the woman I love. This is a face I never thought I would see again in this life."

Sara wiped away Nyssa's tears as a few of her own trickled down.

"I'm so sorry," Sara whispered as she hugged her close. "I'm sorry you had to go through this. Believe me, it's not what I wanted, but now we are free."

"Free," Nyssa smiled into Sara's hair as she repeated the word.

They stood there wrapped together for a long time until Sara broke the silence. "Babe?"

"Hmm?" Nyssa took a small step back to look at her.

"I'm exhausted from everything that has happened the past 24 hours and I don't think I can stay standing for another minute. Come to bed with me?"

Nyssa's expression split into an ear-to-ear smile. "I would have given absolutely anything to hear you say those words again. Let's go."

* * *

Sara woke up and smiled when she saw Nyssa still asleep beside her. She reached over to brush a stray lock of hair from her face and she stirred. Nyssa smiled and kept her eyes closed.

"Am I dreaming?"

Sara laughed. "No, why?"

Nyssa opened her eyes and put a hand to Sara's cheek. "Good. Just making sure."

They laid together in silence for several minutes until Nyssa spoke again. "Sara, I need you to help me with something."

Sara was surprised to hear a serious tone in her voice and turned to look Nyssa in the eye. "Anything - you know I'll do anything for you."

Nyssa smiled. "I know. And don't look so concerned; nothing is wrong. It's just something that my father told me last night."

Sara's curiosity was piqued. "What was it?"

"He said he wants me to find my humanity again, like I once had as a child. I don't think I know how to do that. For nearly two decades I have learned that anything is worth the cost of justice and that my number one focus is kill or be killed. That's the life I know."

Sara held Nyssa's hand. "Well, you certainly won't have to go through this alone. It's something I have to figure out too. I need to turn away from the darkness. Like I've told you before - no more killing."

"No more killing." Nyssa repeated the words as though it was the first time such a thought had ever entered her mind. The concept felt completely foreign to her.

Sara laughed. "Don't sound so surprised! It is possible to go a week without killing someone, Nyssa, and I think you'll learn to like it."

Nyssa smiled. "Oh, how I missed that laugh, and the way your eyes light up when you smile."

Sara kissed her softly on the lips. "I missed you too."

After a moment Nyssa pulled back, smirked, and said, "This doesn't mean you'll make me give up fighting altogether and reduce me to merely, I don't know... gardening, will you?"

Sara laughed again, harder this time. "I actually think I like the idea of having a garden. But to be honest, I do know we wouldn't be ourselves if we weren't fighting for a cause we believed in. We will keep fighting, but we won't keep killing. I think we owe it to ourselves and our new life together to give that a try, don't you?"

Nyssa nodded. "Yes, and that I can live with. You know, I don't think I fully realized before how much you have changed me."

Sara smiled. "Really? You seem like the same woman I first met nearly six years ago. What did I change?"

"I can just see it so much better now after I spent months feeling that I had lost you forever. I can't describe to you the grief that tormented my mind and my heart. And then my father turned my world upside down by offering my birthright to another and I felt completely alone. He said he wanted me to have a normal life full of happiness and love, and truthfully I couldn't even imagine what that would look like for me. I admitted to him that it was a concept I had entertained when you and I were together, that maybe someday we would want to try to have a 'normal' life together. But with you gone the idea of trying to start that kind of life felt like it just mocked your memory. I couldn't even imagine finding another person with whom I would want to bind myself, both body and soul, like I had with you. When my father told me I was no longer the Heir, I could think of no purpose or direction for my life. But when I heard your voice as you said my name and I saw you again... Everything changed. In that instant, I was able to let go of my stubbornness and pride and even the League. I realized none of that was more important to me than you were and are."

"Oh, Nyssa." Sara threw her arms around her neck and held her tight. "You see," she whispered, "you are already changing. Of course you've had your pride and strong independence, but that is just part of who you are. You are also good and brave and loving. That is what I've always seen in you."

Nyssa smiled and leaned in to kiss her. They laid there together for a long while, each thinking about what the future might bring for them. Finally Nyssa spoke again, "Well, I know the next thing we need to do."

"What's that?"

"We need to get you home to see your friends and family. I can't keep you all to myself in a time such as this. They also deserve the joy and relief of seeing you and feeling you in their arms again. Oliver and Mr. Diggle will be leaving this morning to return to Starling City. We should join them."

Sara smiled. "Nyssa, I love you. Nothing would make me happier, especially because you will be with me. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours since you left Starling, has it?"

Nyssa laughed. "Indeed it hasn't, and I'll just assume that this time they won't keep me behind bars. Sara, you can't even imagine how happy they all will be to see you again. I wish I could just be here for days and keep you to myself, but they deserve better than that."

Sara smiled. "I know what you mean. But don't worry, we have the rest of our lives to spend together." Sara sat up. "Should we grab our things and get over to the helicopter pad now?"

Nyssa groaned, "Heavens, no. They won't leave for at least a good hour so neither will we." They both laughed as Sara was pulled back down to the bed.

* * *

About an hour later Sara and Nyssa walked out toward the helicopter with knapsacks flung over their backs. Sara braced herself for two more back-from-the-dead greetings she was about to receive from Oliver and Diggle. As excited as she was to see all the people she cared about again, she honestly dreaded it too. She had only had to go through it with Nyssa so far this time around, but she had come back from the dead already for most of these people, and twice now with Oliver. It was emotionally exhausting. Sara hated seeing in each of their faces that expression of relief mixed with pain, grief, wonder, and the slightest tinge of betrayal - betrayal for having been alive all this time while everyone else was deceived. It was the exact reaction she received from Laurel when she found out Sara was alive, and that was the reaction she dreaded most.

"Sara!" Oliver called out as soon as he saw her. He walked right up and pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank goodness you're okay. I missed you. We all did."

Sara pulled back and smiled. "I missed you too. I'm so sorry you had to go through this because of me."

Now Dig stepped up for his hug. "Don't you worry about that, Sara. We understand why you did what you did. And guess what?"

Sara looked curious. "What?"

Diggle smiled. "In your memory, Lyla and I named our baby Sara."

Sara gasped. "You didn't! And all because you thought I was dead."

Dig laughed. "Now it just makes for a good story! Besides, it wasn't in your memory because you had died - it was because of how you lived. We named our daughter after a friend who was brave, kind, selfless, and someone who fought for what she knew was right, just like we hope our daughter will one day. The best part is now she'll get to meet the person she was named after and be able to look up to you."

A tear slowly came down Sara's cheek as she smiled and threw her arms around Dig for another hug. "I am honored and can't wait to get to know her."

Oliver quickly pulled Nyssa aside while Sara and Diggle kept chatting. "So, it looks like you'll be coming back to Starling City with us?"

"Yes," she responded curtly.

Oliver had no idea how to broach this sensitive subject with her. "Look, Nyssa, I'm sorry about what happened. I had no idea -"

"Save your breath, Oliver. I know you weren't expecting my father to make you that offer. Neither was I, and it's just something we'll both have to figure out."

"Look, I just - I don't want this to drive a wedge through our group, especially with you coming back to Starling City."

"What exactly do you mean? Are you afraid I'll try to slit your throat in your sleep, or that I'll try to turn your friends against you and this ridiculous notion of you being Ra's al Ghul?"

"I don't think you'll do either. I just want you to know that I can't imagine how much of a blow this must be to you, and I'm sorry. I didn't expect this, and I definitely didn't go asking for it. I don't know what my answer will be, but I'll need my friends to help me figure it out."

"I don't want your sympathy. I am not going to kill you and I won't try to influence your friends one way or another. I am only tolerating your presence for Sara. There is nothing I crave more right now than to be with her, even though it means returning to your deteriorating city."

Oliver bit his tongue to avoid saying what was on his mind. He just forced a smile and announced, "It looks like our ride is ready to leave!" He put a hand on Sara's shoulder. "Let's go home."

Sara grinned and placed a hand on top of his. "I've been waiting for this for a long time."

* * *

_...Three hours later..._

Sara's hand shook as she raised it to knock on the door. Laurel didn't know she was coming - she didn't even know she was still alive. Sara had told Oliver that her sister was the first person she wanted to see - she was sure it would be the hardest reunion, but Laurel deserved to see her more than anyone after what she had been through as part of Malcolm Merlyn's plan. Sara almost knocked but then hesitated again as she recalled the last time she had come back from the dead. Laurel had been furious and accused her of being the cause of every bad thing that had happened in their family's lives. Sara finally let out a long breath and knocked three times.

"Just a minute!" came Laurel's voice from the other side of the door.

Sara didn't even know what she would say.

Laurel opened the door and saw her sister. She stood rooted to the spot, frozen in shock. Tears quickly welled up in her eyes. "Sara?" she whispered.

Sara couldn't read her expression and still didn't know how her sister was going to react. "It's me, Laurel. I'm here, I'm okay."

The tears streamed down Laurel's face as she pulled her little sister into a hug. "Sara, how is this even possible? How are you alive? I never thought I would see you again!"

Sara hugged her closer, relieved to hear the happiness in her sister's voice. "I just barely got back to Starling and I had to see you first. I'm so sorry for what you had to go through."

Laurel stepped back to look her sister in the eye. "Don't be sorry, Sara. I don't even care right now about anything else. Come sit down and tell me everything."

The two sisters made themselves comfortable on Laurel's couch and Sara told her all that had happened. Laurel was riveted to the story the whole time and held onto her sister's hand.

"Sara, I can't believe everything you went through. This is crazy. I know Ra's al Ghul was the mastermind behind it all, but I'm still infuriated that Merlyn tricked me into thinking you were dead just to get me out of the way. I will always hate him for that, but honestly, it doesn't even matter to me right now because you're safe and you're here."

Sara smiled. "I have to say, I wasn't really sure how you would react to me coming back from the dead again."

Laurel laughed. "I don't blame you. I was pretty nasty to you the last time, but I think we've both grown a lot since then."

"That's definitely true." Sara sighed and let her head rest back on the couch. "It's good to be home."

Laurel smiled. "So now that you've come back from the dead yet again, and are officially released from the League, what do you plan to do?"

Sara perked up. "There are still people everywhere who need help to end their suffering. I don't know yet where we'll start, but Nyssa and I have agreed we can put the killing behind us and find other ways to bring about justice."

"That sounds amazing, Sara. You are my hero."

"And you're mine, Laurel. You know, you're the one who first really helped me see that I could change... That I could become a hero... That I was redeemable."

Laurel smiled and squeezed her hand. "So what's next, little sis?"

Sara stood up and extended a hand out to her sister. "Well, what do you say - are you ready to help me take on everyone else? Let's go see Dad first, and Ollie should have the group all rounded up in the foundry soon, telling them what happened to him in Nanda Parbat. Then it will be our turn to make a grand entrance and share our story."

Laurel smiled as she took Sara's hand and let her pull her up off the couch. "Let's do this."


	7. Indecision

Sara pulled out her phone and texted Oliver as she, Laurel, and Nyssa approached Verdant's back door entrance to the foundry.

_Sara: We're here. Ready for us?_

_Ollie: Yep! Come on in. They don't know about you yet._

Sara's pulse was racing and she drew in a deep breath. This was going to be a lot of people to see again all at once.

Outside the door Laurel said, "I'll go first and, well, I guess introduce you." She chuckled and Sara smiled in response.

"Okay, sis. Go for it."

They opened the door and stepped through. Sara and Nyssa stayed back out of sight and Laurel entered the room. She ran over and hugged Oliver. "Ollie! It's so good to see you. I'm still mad at you, but I'm glad you're alive." Laurel looked around and saw Diggle, Felicity, Roy, and Thea were there as well.

Felicity spoke up, "Laurel, did you miss the memo about getting here thirty minutes ago? Because you pretty much just missed Oliver and Diggle's whole crazy story."

Laurel laughed. "Well, I actually heard most of it from another source." She paused, realizing she wasn't quite sure how to tell everyone that her sister was alive.

"Are you okay, Laurel?" Roy asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Laurel smiled. "I kind of feel like I have. Guys, I have some amazing news for all of you. Two hours ago I had a knock on my door from the last person I would have expected."

Laurel reached out a hand and beckoned her sister to come. Sara hesitated, but Nyssa gave her a slight nudge and they both walked into the room.

Felicity, Roy, and Thea all gasped. Sara smiled shyly. "Hey, guys. I'm okay." Sara was caught off guard when Thea rushed over and wrapped her arms around her in a bear hug. All Sara could do was return the hug and hold her close. She could feel Thea shaking as she cried.

"Shh, Thea, it's okay. I'm okay."

"Sara - I'm - so - sorry." It was difficult for Thea to breathe and speak as she was sobbing.

Sara lifted her chin so they could look eye to eye. "Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for."

"But - I thought - I killed you."

Sara smiled. "But you didn't. And it's not your fault, Thea. I know everything. I know that Merlyn drugged and used you as a puppet in his plan. We all were puppets to some extent. But none of that matters anymore. I'm alive and you have done nothing to feel guilty for."

Thea just stared as Sara wiped the tears from her face. They never talked about it, but the two of them had always had a kind of sisterly bond - they were very much alike.

Felicity was in awe and slowly stepped forward. "Sara, how is this even possible? I saw you dead. You were lying here, on this very table, five months ago with three arrows in your chest. You lost so much blood, had severe internal damage, and no heartbeat. I don't understand."

Nyssa spoke up. "My father is the one behind all of this and I only just learned of everything for myself when I first saw Sara last night. I was just in the dark as you all were."

Roy turned to her. "So you're saying your father wanted Sara dead? He got Merlyn to mess up Thea and try to kill Sara?"

Nyssa looked to Sara to see if she wanted to tell her story, but she could read in her eyes that she was asking her to take it this time. Sara had already told the story in full to Nyssa, Oliver and Diggle, and then Laurel. Nyssa just smiled and nodded and then turned back to Roy, who tried in vain to follow their silent communication.

"To make a long story short, my father didn't want Sara dead, but he did tell Malcolm Merlyn to fake her death to put in motion a larger plan that would ultimately test three of us: myself, Sara, and Oliver."

Felicity shook her head. "This is crazy. Why did he want to test all of you? Well, I guess Oliver did just tell us that he was offered the position of the next Ra's al Ghul, which is probably the most insane idea I've ever heard, and believe me, since meeting all of you, that's saying something."

Nyssa nodded and shot Oliver a glance. "I couldn't agree more, but that's not up to me. It seems my father wanted to test Oliver to see if he had the strength, resilience, and dedication to purpose that would be necessary to take his place. Setting up Sara's death and having Thea shoot her were all done to get Oliver to challenge him in Nanda Parbat. We told Oliver he had 48 hours to find Sara's killer or citizens of Starling City would start to die, and I thought this was intended to be motivation for finding the killer. To my father, it was a test to see if Oliver would sacrifice himself for his personal crusade, which is the protection of his city and those he most cares for."

Thea had finally calmed down but her eyes were still red. She glanced at Nyssa and Sara. "So what were your tests?"

Nyssa hesitated. This was where things got personal for her, and she wasn't used to speaking to anyone but Sara about anything emotional. She looked to Sara, who smiled and picked up the story from there.

"Mine and Nyssa's tests were slightly different from Oliver's." She paused, trying to figure out how to explain what she wanted to say. "On the surface Ra's appears to be hardened and unfeeling, but the one person he deeply cares for his daughter. He has always meant for Nyssa to take his place as the next Head of the Demon and has been preparing her for that role since she was about eight years old."

Nyssa jumped back in. "But things changed when Sara came to us. For the first time in my life I felt love and joy and I even prioritized my love above my duty to the League. I didn't even realize that until my father pointed it out, but it's true. My father didn't stop us from being together, but he also didn't approve of our love. He told me it was because he knew it would only end in heartbreak and he didn't want me to get hurt. He needed me to be solely focused on my duties to the League. My father was actually deeply in love once himself, but she was brutally murdered, and by someone whose life he had just saved. It tortured my father and that event is what spurred him into becoming Ra's al Ghul. But when he recognized that I truly loved Sara and that it wasn't just an infatuation or a phase, it softened him, and gave him a glimpse of the joy his life once held and it reminded him of who I was as a child - happy and full of light. He then realized that what he wanted for me more than the League was to have a life with love." Nyssa paused, smiled at Sara, and still had a look of amazement at the thought of it all. "He only just told me all of this yesterday. I had no idea."

Sara continued, "And Nyssa would always be the first one to search for me if I was ever MIA on an assignment. That instinct just carried over when I left after Merlyn's Undertaking. Ra's knew that when I left it wasn't because I was trying to leave her. I wanted to see my family to make sure they were safe, and when I found myself away from the League I realized that I couldn't go back, even for Nyssa, and that tore me apart. As much as I loved her I knew that the killing would change me for the worse. It had already started to and I didn't want to completely lose myself. When Nyssa came back for me I tried to tell her I wasn't in love with her anymore, but she knew better. She knew I was scared, and Ra's did too. And when Ra's realized how in love his daughter was, and that she would keep coming back for me even when I told her I was done with the League and I was released, he decided he needed to test me to see if I was worthy of that love, and see if what we had was worth him looking for another successor so that Nyssa could live a free life."

Nyssa nodded. "My father kept close tabs on Sara the whole time she was here in Starling working with all of you. He saw how she fought for the safety of her family and the people of her city. She was selfless and willing to sacrifice everything for those she cared for. Sara's final test was her part in Al-Saher's plan. Malcolm Merlyn approached her with a proposition that would free her from the League and allow her to finally be with her family. She resisted at first because she didn't want my father dead, but she realized that for her, the alternative was to be part of the League the rest of her life and continue being a killer, which would ruin her. So she agreed to risk her life in order to save her soul, and my father was very impressed at how strong a hold Sara was always able to maintain on her humanity and intrinsic goodness. The rest of us in the League were long past desensitized to all the killing, but she never was."

The room was silent for a few moments, then Diggle spoke for the first time in a while. "So let me see if I've got this all straight. Nyssa, your test ultimately was to see if you would be better off as the next Head of the Demon or living a free life with the person you loved. Your father was testing how strong your devotion actually was. And Sara, Ra's pretty much was testing if you were worthy enough for his daughter and if you could bring the light and humanity back into her life. But then he would need someone else to take Nyssa's place as the Heir, so that's where Oliver's test comes into play, to see if he would be worthy to take over the League so that Ra's can retire. Have I got that all right?"

Sara grinned. "Exactly right, Dig."

Felicity chimed in, "So now Ra's is just waiting on Oliver's answer, right? And I'm hoping Ra's has a plan B here, well I guess a plan C," she glanced apologetically at Nyssa for the unintentional jab, "because it's pretty obvious that Oliver is not going to accept this crazy man's plan." She winced and looked at Nyssa again. "Sorry... again. No offense, I promise."

Nyssa just rolled her eyes at the blonde, not deigning to respond at the accidental slights to herself and her father.

All eyes turned to Oliver. Most everyone agreed with Felicity's point of view. Oliver just shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know yet. I don't feel like it's as black and white as it seems at first."

"You're kidding, right?" Thea laughed. "You're not actually considering this? It's madness! Ra's al Ghul is an international assassin. Isn't that pretty much against everything you've been working toward lately? The whole 'not killing to honor Tommy's memory' thing you've got going on?"

"If I were in charge of the League I might be able to run things differently. Maybe I should be the next Ra's al Ghul."

Roy jumped in. "So, you're saying you could turn the League of _Assassins_ into what, exactly? The League of Tie-'em-up-and-leave-'em-for-the-cops? That doesn't quite roll off the tongue as easily."

Oliver was starting to feel attacked and threw his arms up in the air. "Okay, okay, I hear what you're all saying, but don't you think that's already gone through my mind?" He let out a long sigh. "I think I just need to go clear my head and get some rest. We all should. Let's just continue on as we normally would and I'll figure this out before next week, okay?"

Felicity pursed her lips. "Sure, let's just keep playing Team Arrow while _Arrow_ is thinking about playing Team Demon League. That sounds totally normal."

Diggle stepped in. "Hey, Oliver's at least right about one thing. We should all get some rest and I'm pretty sure crime in Starling City isn't going to take a break while he makes his decision, so I think we'll all have plenty of work to do in the meantime."

Felicity nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry, Oliver - you've been through enough and don't need me all over you," she laughed to herself, "which is funny because I've actually been all over somebody else..." She suddenly looked horrified. "I just said that out loud, didn't I? Well, you know what I mean - it's just an expression." She smiled guiltily, Thea laughed, Diggle raised his eyebrows in surprise, and Oliver made a mental note to figure out exactly what she meant by that not-so-subtle slip.

* * *

_...Three days later..._

The crew returned to the foundry after having just broken up a bank robbery by a gang in the Glades.

"Ollie, are you going somewhere?" Thea asked when she saw her brother pick up a small duffle bag he had stashed earlier.

"Yes, actually. Guys, I'm going to be gone for just a couple days."

Felicity was shocked. "Seriously? You are aware that you need to be back in Nanda Parbat in just _three_ days, right? You aren't forgetting that minor detail?"

Oliver laughed. "No, Felicity, I didn't forget. That's why I'll be back in two."

"Where are you going?" Roy asked as he pulled off his mask.

"I'll explain more when I get back. I don't know exactly how things are going to go yet, but I'll fill you in later."

"Well, that's a bit vague," Dig pointed out. "You need back up?"

"Thanks, Dig, but this won't be dangerous. I just need to take care of something myself this time. I'm sorry I can't tell you more right now, but I promise you'll know everything before I return to Nanda Parbat."

Sara spoke up. "Then go. We all have to keep secrets sometimes. Besides, we've got plenty of manpower to hold down the fort here."

Oliver smiled. "Thanks for understanding." He looked around and still saw looks of confusion on the faces of the rest of his comrades. "Relax, guys, this isn't dangerous, but it's something I have to do before giving Ra's my answer."

Felicity just shrugged her shoulders. "Okay. You've gotta do what you've gotta do. We'll see you in two days."

Oliver nodded and left. Outside he mounted his motorcycle and sped off for Central City."


	8. A New League

_Author's note: This is it, guys... The final chapter! You're basically reading what I wish would happen in season 3, and this mid-season hiatus has been the perfect amount of time for me to get my story out there before more things start changing in the show because I've really tried to keep the two consistent. I hope you've enjoyed it all along the way. Please review with any and all feedback!_

* * *

Oliver walked into the foundry early the day before he was required to be back in Nanda Parbat.

"Ah, our delinquent vigilante has returned!" Felicity announced with a smirk.

Everyone was there that morning: Felicity, Diggle, Roy, Laurel, Sara, Nyssa, and Thea. While they did want to be there to welcome him back, what was really on everyone's mind was: _What is his answer for Ra's?_

"Did I miss anything exciting?" Oliver asked as he set down his duffle bag.

Felicity spoke again, "Well, Roy toured Sara and Nyssa through the Glades to see what they've become in the aftermath of the quake and all the other crazy things that have happened there."

"Yeah," Sara added, "and we came across a few misogynist criminals and would-be rapists."

Oliver's eyebrows raised. "I bet you did! And I take it they won't be bothering anyone else for a while?"

Sara smiled. "Nope. I think they've learned their lesson. And Nyssa and I are learning better how justice and death don't have to be brought about simultaneously."

Nyssa nodded. "That is true. But, Oliver, why aren't we addressing the real issue here? " She gestured to everyone in the room. "This may look like a welcoming party for you, but we are awaiting your answer, just as my father will be shortly."

"I'm going to have to actually agree with Nyssa on this one, Ollie," Laurel added. "You haven't given us any clue as to what you're going to tell Ra's. You know we're on your side, right? We're here to help you. I thought you would want more of our support while you were figuring this out."

Oliver took a deep breath and looked at the faces of the people he cared most about, all gathered together and watching him closely. "Well, when I first told you about the offer, I got a pretty unanimous response of, 'You'd be crazy to agree to this', didn't I? I don't think any of you were too thrilled at the prospects of me becoming Ra's al Ghul, but hear me out."

"No way," Thea cut in. "You can't accept his offer!"

"Thea, hold on," Oliver pleaded. "I'm asking you listen to what I've been thinking. Humor me for a minute, alright?" He was speaking to Thea, but his request really was directed to everyone in the room, and as he looked around he was met with reluctant nods.

Oliver continued, "Think about this: If there are this many people doing terrible things in Starling City, how many more do you think there are in the whole world? What Ra's is offering me - offering all of us, really, if you'll stand by me - is the chance to protect more than just one city. He's giving us the opportunity and the means to protect the _world_." Oliver quickly became animated and didn't wait for any responses to continue. "Just imagine the contacts and resources Ra's has at his fingertips to travel all around the globe and bring about justice. Yes, I know he has a twisted sense of justice," Oliver pointed out, cutting off Laurel as she opened her mouth to say the same thing, "but I can do things differently. I can accept his offer without working the way he does. Besides," he added with a smile, "we are starting to grow out of the foundry. There are eight of us here now."

Laurel now took the chance to speak up, "Let's say we're considering for this for even a moment. Are you saying you think you can take over the League and everyone who is currently part of it and completely change things up for them? You know I agree with your ideals and goals here, Oliver - we all do - but I just can't see all of those assassins agreeing with your vision of justice without killing. They are the League of _Assassins_, after all, and I don't see this being a great way to boost morale and gain confidence in their new leader. It sounds a lot more like a recipe for mutiny."

"I've considered that as well," Oliver admitted, "and I think the best way to handle it is to go and present my vision to everyone in the League. I'll tell them that the League will be different if I am leading it, but I will always fight for justice, which, ultimately, is their purpose as well. I'll tell them that for me, killing is only a last resort to be used as a means of saving another life. The members of the League will be offered the chance to pledge their loyalty to the new League or choose to have their old ties dissolved without penalty. That's the only right way for things to be done. And I don't think anyone who later chooses to join our League should be bound to stay."

"So you're saying there wouldn't be any penalty for someone who just ups and leaves whenever they want?" Thea asked incredulously. "What if someone knew League secrets and decided to take off and sell them to the highest bidder?"

"Well, I would be very careful with who I would keep close to me and hope that it wouldn't happen. I can't control people, Thea. If someone wants to leave, I probably wouldn't want them to be there anyway. Someone who isn't committed to finding justice in humane ways wouldn't fit in with this new League, and everyone should have the right to choose for themselves."

Thea wasn't completely convinced. "It still sounds risky with people like that."

Oliver shook his head. "Thea, they're people just like us. They have hopes, dreams, fears, and people they care about. Besides, are you under any obligation to be here right now? Are any of you bound by a contract to stay?"

"No," Thea, Roy, and Felicity agreed together.

"Then why have you stayed?" Oliver asked.

Sara responded, "Because we believe in you. Your cause is our cause; your fights are our fights."

Oliver smiled. "And that's how this new League will be run as well. If someone would want to leave, like Sara wanted to leave the League of Assassins, they shouldn't be forced to stay out of fear for their own life and the lives of their loved ones. I don't want fear to be what keeps the League together; I want it to be unity of purpose."

The room was silent for a few moments, then Dig spoke. "Well, I find that hard to argue with. I'm with you, Oliver. All the way."

"Me too," Roy agreed without hesitation.

Sara looked to Nyssa who nodded and said, "I must say, you present a compelling purpose and moral grounding for the League, Mr. Queen. I am still pained by my father making you this offer, but I'm trying to learn to swallow my pride a little more, among other things." Sara smiled up at her as Nyssa continued. "I think your proposition for the rebirth of the League will be accepted by my father, and I believe it aligns well with the new life Sara and I are forging for ourselves. We will join you."

Oliver nodded. "Thank you." He looked to the three women who remained silent, lost in their thoughts.

Thea slowly smiled. "Of course I'm with you, big brother. I still think you're crazy, but you wouldn't be you if you weren't."

Oliver laughed. "Thank you, I think..."

Laurel spoke next and she looked like something was weighing heavily on her mind. "I'm with you on one condition, Ollie."

"Okay, Laurel. What is it?"

Her tone was very matter-of-fact. "No more lies. Not between those of us here, at least. There is no way something as big as this new League you want to create will survive if your core group will not be honest with each other. I can understand most of the lies you've felt you've had to tell us in the past for all of this to work out, but that can't be how you do things anymore."

Oliver nodded. "You're right. We'll all have to be honest and open with each other. I agree to your terms, Miss Lance."

Laurel smiled. "Excellent. Then count me in."

All eyes now turned to Felicity, the only one who hadn't yet agreed to join.

Oliver took a deep breath, "You are uncharacteristically quiet right now, Felicity. What do you think?"

She looked around. "I think you have a team of fighters here, and I'm wondering if you're sure that I still fit in."

Oliver smiled. "Of course you do! Do you really think we could get anything done without you? Your tech skills can get us in and out of situations that guns and arrows can't. We definitely need you, Felicity."

Oliver's words were met with nods from around the room.

Felicity smiled. "Yeah, I guess someone's got to keep you all in line. Okay. I'm in."

* * *

_...One day later..._

Oliver smiled as he stepped off the helicopter and walked toward Nanda Parbat. He wasn't too sure how this conversation was about to go down with Ra's al Ghul, but he couldn't help being happy from everything that had happened in the past week. Sara was back from the dead and his team was united behind him in what he was about to do.

He was again brought before Ra's, though under slightly different circumstances than the week before.

"Mr. Queen, welcome back to Nanda Parbat. I trust you have an answer for me."

Oliver nodded his head. "I do, and I choose to accept your offer if you will accept what I have in mind for the League.

Ra's raised an eyebrow in amusement. "You have plans already? You are quite ambitious."

"Well, it's just that for me to take your place I would have to do some things differently. As I'm sure you already know, I've put my killing days behind me. I will only kill another person if it is absolutely necessary to keep someone else safe, and that's how the League would have to function as well if I'm going to be the Head of it. I want to bring about justice and I want to preserve peace all over the world and that is the only way I know how to do it."

Ra's was quiet for a few moments as he pondered Oliver's words. Finally he spoke. "Starling City is a unique place indeed."

"How so?"

"For all of it's deterioration in the past few years, your city has produced a remarkable amount of moral strength - more than is expected from any one place." Oliver still didn't quite follow so Ra's continued, "It is you and your friends, Mr. Queen. You have found a rather remarkable group to associate yourself with. When Sara first came to us I had never met anyone quite like her, but you both have very similar ideals, and that really is true all of those with whom you work so closely. You possess strength and grit that is normally quite hard to find, let alone all in one city. But then there is the balance of grave moral decay brewing within your city as well. Your home is the only place that has produced two members of the League of Assassins: Sara and Malcolm Merlyn, and what a difference there is between the two of them. When they were here I found it fascinating to see how completely different they were although they came from the same place. And I mean no offense, but your mother and father also contributed a great deal to the downfall of your city, along with plenty of others. In all my travels I have seen few other cities which produced such an array of ill-intentioned men and women. But I have also never seen a city with people who possessed such an ability to rise up from the ashes to make things better."

Oliver was struck by this insight. It was something he had never really considered before. "I guess it's that opposition that has proved to be the crucible for us each in our own way to become the people we are now. Without it we never would have had the opportunity to find out for ourselves that we could become heroes, no matter our past."

Ra's smiled. "Indeed, Mr. Queen, I believe you are correct, and I approve of this vision you have for the League. I had anticipated you might move in this direction, so in this past week I compiled a list for you."

Oliver's curiosity was piqued. "What kind of list?"

Ra's pulled a paper out of his coat pocket and unfolded it. He glanced over the list once more before handing it to Oliver.

"What is it?" He asked again as he took hold of it. Ra's didn't answer so Oliver looked down and found it to be a list of names. He read them out loud: "Hal Jordan, Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Diana Prince, and Arthur Curry." Oliver paused, reading over the list a couple more times before he looked back up at Ra's. "Who are these people? The only name I recognize is Bruce Wayne, over in Gotham City." Oliver laughed. "He actually reminds me of my former self - playboy millionaire."

Ra's showed the smallest hint of a smile. "You may find that you and Mr. Wayne have more in common than you realize, especially in the way you both choose to spend your evenings."

Oliver's eyes got huge. "Do you mean he...? No way. Are you serious? And the rest of them?"

Ra's smile widened. "Mr. Queen, some answers you'll just need to find for yourself. This list is merely meant to give you some direction as you start out with this new League of yours. Think of them as like-minded people and potential allies."

Oliver grinned as his mind started racing with the possibilities this list presented.

* * *

The next day Oliver was back in Starling City telling everyone what had happened to him in Nanda Parbat. They were all passing around the list Ra's had given him and were eagerly speculating who these people were and why Ra's thought they could be a good fit for the League. Just then they heard a knock at the back door and everyone's heads shot up.

"Who actually knocks on that door?" Roy asked.

"Yeah," Thea agreed, "and who would it be since we're all here?"

Oliver smiled. "It's just a few friends I invited over."

Surprised looks darted around the room as everyone waited to see who these 'friends' were.

Felicity jumped out of her chair in shock. "Barry? What are you doing here? And Caitlin and Cisco?"

Diggle just laughed. "It looks like we're having a superhero reunion today."

"Everyone, I need your attention!" Oliver called out. "Not all of you have met, so let's get introductions out of the way. On my left, hailing from Central City, we have Caitlin Snow, who is actually a _real_ doctor and I think will prove to be pretty invaluable for us. Then we have Cisco Ramon, who makes the most insanely cool weapons I've ever seen, and on my right is Barry Allen - also known as The Flash, the fastest man alive."

"Thanks, Oliver," Barry said with a smile as he clapped him on the back. "We are stoked to be here."

Oliver grinned and continued, "When I left last week for a couple days I went to Central City to discuss with these three the offer I had been given and the plans I had in mind. I reached out to them because we can use their unique skills on our team. I figured that if we plan on saving the world we can use as many as are willing to join us, especially when those people are already our friends."

There was a stunned silence for a moment as this new information settled in. That moment was broken by Roy. "All right!" he called out as he fist-pumped the air. Everyone laughed and his enthusiasm proved to be contagious as they all started mingling and chatting excitedly.

A few minutes later Cisco's voice rose above the rest. "Wait... Guys, if we're giving the League of Assassins a facelift, we totally need a new name for it! Am I right or am I right? How about, The League of Ex-Assassins? No, that's terrible... or The League of Shadows? That sounds pretty cool. Or-"

"Cisco!" Caitlin called out. "This is _so_ not up to your to decide that."

Oliver laughed. "I hear what you're saying, though, Cisco, and I've been thinking the same thing. But how about this: I think we should call ourselves... The Justice League."

Diggle nodded. "Yeah, I can roll with that. The Justice League. That sounds about right."

Soon everyone had agreed and the matter was settled. Cisco looked around the room and smirked as he spoke aloud again: "Guys, this is epic. In our group, The Justice League - that just sounds so cool! Anyway, in our group, we've got Arrow, Arsenal, Canary and Black Canary - that could get confusing - and The Flash... So, it looks like I need to come up with names for everyone else!"

Cisco's declaration was met with either groaning, laughing, or cringing, and Caitlin voiced everyone's thoughts, "Cisco, please don't."

Sara spoke up, "You know, I think I might change my name from The Canary."

The whole group was shocked and half of them blurted out in unison, "What?"

Sara just smiled. "Yeah, Cisco's right about the confusion, and Laurel makes a great Black Canary. Plus, I've been The Canary for a long time. Ta-er al-Asfer... That name really helped me get through my darkest days and it reminded me of my family in the hope that I could one day be with them again." She smiled at Laurel. "And now I am. It was also my name as an assassin, and I'm ready to move on from that now."

Oliver spoke up, "So now that you're a hero, what would you like your name to be?"

Sara had already thought about this. "Emra Nura. It's Arabic."

Nyssa smiled and took Sara's hand as she continued for her: "Meaning 'woman of light'. It's perfect."

"Emra Nura," Laurel repeated trying out the sound of it for herself. "It's beautiful, Sara. You sure have a knack for coming up with names."

"Maybe you can give Cisco some lessons!" Barry offered and everyone laughed.

"Hey, now," Cisco responded. "You don't have to make fun of the little guy. I may not have superpowers, but you know that if you get on my bad side I can make some modifications on your suit..."

Barry threw his hands in the air. "All right, I give in! But c'mon now, Cisco, you know that you totally have super powers. I would be nothing without your engineering skills."

Oliver nodded. "It might take a little time for us all to figure out how to work together, but I have a good feeling about it, and I know that each of you is going to be an invaluable part of this team. So let's commit today to being The Justice League, each doing our part to make the world a better place - not just for ourselves, or even for the ones we love, but for the whole human race. Together?"

Everyone in the room nodded and responded in unison: "Together."


End file.
